SLA 3D Printing material select guide
SLA (stereolithography) 3D printing, is a type of additive manufacturing process that uses a laser to cure liquid resin into solid parts. The choice of material for your SLA 3D printing project can affect the final quality, strength, and durability of the printed part.
Here’s a guide to help you select the right material for your SLA 3D printing needs:
According to its application, there are 8 common types of SLA 3D Printing materials.
Standard ABS resins are the most common materials used in SLA 3D printing materials. They are popular, affordable, easy to use, and produce high-quality prints with excellent surface finish and detail. Standard resins are ideal for creating prototypes, intricate models, figurines, and other small parts. They are available in a variety of colors and can also be painted after printing.
2.Tough ABS Resin:
Tough ABS resin are designed to produce strong, durable parts with excellent impact resistance. They are ideal for creating functional prototypes, jigs, and fixtures. Tough resins are often used in the robotics, automotive, aerospace, and consumer goods industries. They are available in a variety of colors, such as Black, light yellow, white.
3.Durable Resins:
When talking about durable resins, it is mainly talking about the materials such as Somos Evolve, Somos Taurus.These two resins have good mechanical performance, ideal for making functional end-use parts.
4.Transparent resins:
Transparent resin is a versatile SLA 3D printing material that can be used in a wide range of applications in SLA 3D printing. Its ability to produce parts with excellent clarity and transparency makes it ideal for creating optical components, while its ability to transmit light makes it useful for creating light pipes and other light-related applications. They are available in a variety of colors through color dyeing and painting in the post process.
5.Flexible Resins:
Flexible resins are designed to produce parts with a rubber-like texture and flexibility. They are ideal for creating gaskets, seals, and other parts that require elasticity. Flexible resins are available in a range of shore hardness values, from soft and squishy to firm and rigid.
6. High-Temperature Resins:
There are two types of transparent resin: 140C heat resistance(translucent red color) & 250C heat resistance(also named Somos PerForm, in white color). High-temperature resins are designed to withstand high temperatures and are ideal for creating parts that will be exposed to heat, such as components of engines and other mechanical parts. They are often used in the aerospace, automotive, and manufacturing industries.
7.Dental Resins:
Dental resins are designed to produce dental models, orthodontic appliances, and other dental devices. They are bio-compatible, safe, and produce highly accurate models with excellent detail. Dental resins are often used in the dental and medical industries. There are a variety of colors, such as transparent, light brown, chocolate.
8. Castable Resins:
Castable resins are designed to produce molds for metal casting. There are two types of Castable resin, one type is wax material, ideal for creating jewelry, dental crowns, and other small metal parts. The other type is called Somos Proto Cast,19120. It is ideal for creating impellers, tube, and other big metal parts. Castable resins burn cleanly and completely, leaving behind no residue.
When selecting a material for your SLA 3D printing needs, consider the application, mechanical properties, and cost of the material. It’s also important to ensure that the material is compatible with your SLA 3D printer. If you have any questions, feel free to email us [email protected], we are pleasure to help. If you need to create objects using any of these materials, you can easily get an instant quote from our Online Store.
